Is Wilbur Holland #53 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Wilbur Holland #53 sells for $305 against $1.01 raw: a $304 spread, 302× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($26.45) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.01
- PSA 10
- $305
- PSA 9
- $26.45
- Gem premium
- 302×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $305 | +$279 | +$254 | +$154 |
| PSA 9 | $26.45 | +$0.44 | −$24.56 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $11.50 | −$14.51 | −$39.51 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.01 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $96.09 | +$45.08 |
| 50% | $166 | +$115 |
| 75% | $235 | +$184 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $397 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $305 | −$92.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $183 | −$214 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $183 | −$214 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Grading Wilbur Holland #53 — FAQ
Is Wilbur Holland #53 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Wilbur Holland #53 sells for $305 against $1.01 raw: a $304 spread, 302× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($26.45) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Wilbur Holland #53 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Wilbur Holland #53 (Basketball Cards 1977 Topps) sells for about $305 versus $1.01 for a raw near-mint copy — a 302× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Wilbur Holland #53?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $397, ahead of PSA 10 at $305. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Wilbur Holland #53 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Wilbur Holland #53 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Wilbur Holland #53 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.45).
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